Clinicians, epidemiologists, economists and other non-medical professions are involved in the production of Health Technology Assessment (HTA) reports. In addition, patients or representatives from patient organizations, as well as the general public, are increasingly involved. In 2015 a new proposal process of topic selection for HTA reports was initiated by German legislation with the aim of more closely involving patients and the general public. The new process has been implemented by the Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) under the project title “ThemenCheck Medizin” (Topic Check Medicine).

Since July 2016, patients and the general public can propose topics for HTA reports to IQWiG, excluding topics on the assessment of drugs. The proposals are submitted via the IQWiG website www.themencheck-medizin.iqwig.de (available only in German). No specific expertize is required for the submission of a topic. On the basis of the proposals a selection committee (patient representatives appointed by patient organizations legitimized in Germany) choose up to fifteen topics deemed suitable for HTA reports. In 2017 the committe will be extended to include members of the general public. IQWiG makes the final decision on the selection of up to five topics per year for HTA reports.

In the first proposal phase thirty proposals were submitted. The topics were allocated to the following categories: two for diagnostics; four for teeth; one for skin and hair; four for head and nerves; three for muscles, bones and joints; two for heart and circulation; four for cancer; two for children and adolescents; one for reproductive health and birth; and three for mental and emotional wellbeing. Four topics could not be considered because they either addressed the assessment of drugs or could not be transferred into an HTA question.

Through “ThemenCheck Medizin” patients and the general public in Germany can actively be involved in the process of collecting proposals for HTA reports as well as in topic prioritization. The prerequisites for successful implementation were in particular the easy-to-use online form and IQWiG's support of persons submitting topics in their formulation of an HTA question. The integration of a selection committee of patient representatives was shown to be constructive and productive.